Disaster relief emergency fund (DREF) Georgia: Severe local storm DREF operation n° MDRGE006 GLIDE n° ST-2013-000033-GEO 29th March 2013 The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of unearmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent emergency response. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation’s disaster response system and increases the ability of National Societies to respond to disasters. CHF 94,093 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Georgian Red Cross Society in delivering immediate assistance to 250 families (1,125 beneficiaries). Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged. Summary: On March 24th 2013, strong wind and storms affected the Eastern and Western parts of Georgia. According to the rapid needs assessment conducted by Georgian Red Cross staff and volunteers, up to 350 houses have been damaged (roofs ripped off, broken windows, household items damaged) and the roofs of about 20 schools were ripped off by the strong wind. After the storm in Adjara, a fisherman is believed to have drowned after reportedly a large wave dragged him into the sea. River bank dikes were destroyed, while trees, electricity poles, and advertisement billboards were fallen down. Several persons were Heavy wind removed the roof from the residential building, Gori. traumatized by the damages caused by Photo: Georgia Red Cross the storm. Georgian Red Cross Society is aiming to assist 250 families comprising of 1,125 people with non-food items (mattresses, blankets, sleeping bags, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits) to address their most urgent needs. Tarpaulins were distributed from the National Society own stocks, therefore these items need to be replenished through the DREF operation. This operation is expected to be implemented over 3 months, and will therefore be completed by 28 June, 2013. Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 28 September 2013). <click here for the DREF budget; here for contact details; here to view the map of the affected area> The situation On 24th March 2013, strong winds over the weekend damaged roofs of hundreds of buildings and left tens of thousands of households without electricity in various parts of the country. In Adjara region on the Black Sea coast high waves flooded parts of Batumi’s seaside boulevard; a fisherman is believed to have drowned after reportedly a large wave dragged him into the sea. Strong wind either ripped off or damaged roofs of 150 houses and of several schools in the Adjara region, according to the authorities. Similar damage was inflicted to 86 buildings in the town of Gori and 50 houses in Ozurgeti; strong wind also damaged roofs of about 60 buildings in the capital Tbilisi. Georgia’s Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze, who leads a special governmental team established to address damage caused by the strong wind, said that over 100,000 households were left without electricity on Sunday; power supply was restored to half of these households by late Sunday and repair works were still ongoing. The Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili visited Gori on Monday, where the strong wind ripped off roofs of the apartment buildings. According to the rapid needs assessment, 350 houses have been damaged and the roofs of several schools were broken or ripped off. Based on the information received from the Emergency Management Department under the Ministry of Interior in Georgia, special task force has been established for planning evacuation activities and damage assessment. Five ministries are involved in the recovery process after the natural disaster. According to the state authorities, reconstruction and reparation in Adjara will be fully recovered from the state budget. Financial resources for the same purpose are being mobilized in Gori municipality also. According to Chairman of the Government of Adjara, the damage only in Batumi comes to over GEL 3 million. Based on the information that national authorities shared with media, at first electricity supply and windows will be restored; afterwards the rehabilitation work will get started. Coordination and partnerships In the affected area, the Georgia Red Cross Society is taking the lead in responding to the needs of the affected population by strong wind and storm surge, coordinating its work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Partner National Societies. The GRCS is providing regular update on the situation and activities planned to its partners. At this stage, an exchange of information is taking place with the IFRC and ICRC offices in Georgia and in case the situation worsens, the ICRC might also be involved in the operation in close cooperation with the National Society and IFRC, to avoid any duplication of activities. UNHCR country office distributed 5,000sq.m. tarpaulins in Gori to support the activities addressing the needs of the affected families. The Georgia Red Cross Society is also coordinating its response activities with the national and local authorities. The National Society seeks to fulfil its auxiliary role to the Government of Georgia and its role as the sole Georgian humanitarian organization being included in the National Disaster Response Plan of Georgia. Close coordination and information sharing is maintained with the State Emergency Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, and the Red Cross Branches in the affected areas. The National Society is in contact with the European Commission (EC) Tbilisi Office, and information is being shared in order to avoid duplication and ensure that the most vulnerable are reached. Response of the Non- State Actors will be coordinated by GRCS. Red Cross and Red Crescent action The Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) Disaster Management (DM) Department has deployed DM volunteers from Gori, Batumi and Tbilisi branches to the affected areas: Tbilisi, Gori (Shida Kartli region), Khelvachauri, Batumi and Kobuleti (Adjara region) to conduct a rapid assessment of the situation. 11 staff and 15 volunteers of the Georgia Red Cross Society are in the affected areas, carrying out the assessment. The DM teams are also coordinating with the Georgian Red Cross volunteers and staff were deployed to the affected area to conduct needs local authorities and NGO’s working in the affected regions. assessment. Photo: Georgia Red Cross The next steps for the National Society, following the approval of this DREF, include conducting detailed assessment to identify and select the most vulnerable families, procuring and distributing relief items to the affected people. All assessments and procurement procedures will be conducted according to IFRC standards. The National Society was also considering providing psychosocial support activities to the affected people as Georgian Red Cross has well trained PSS staff, but so far needs for such activity were not raised by beneficiaries. The needs Based on the information received from local authorities and from the GRCS assessment teams, the needs of people affected by the strong wind and storm surge are for tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags, kitchen sets and hygiene kits. Hygiene kits were mentioned by the affected families as they are out of those because many of them had to leave houses and go to neighbours or relatives for several days and definitely need to be supported with elementary hygiene supply. Sleeping bags, kitchen set, blankets and mattress are needed as rain (accompanied to the strong wind) damaged many of household equipments or items/tools. These items are not covered by the planned governmental support; therefore GRCS will distribute these as complementary assistance to the government. It is also of imminent importance to protect the affected families from further exposure to the predicted bad weather conditions through the provision of tarpaulins for temporary shelter (roofing) until Government starts rehabilitation process (approximately 2 months time needed for this). Other tools such as ropes, nails, and hammer are available locally. There are no reports of serious food shortages. People to be reached will be specified following the assessments in the affected regions to identify the most vulnerable households. Out of the estimated 350 affected households, the National Society aims to cover the needs of the most affected 250 families, approximately 1,125 people. The beneficiaries are selected according to the following criteria: Older individuals living alone; People living with disabilities; Families with small children; Single mothers/women headed households. The proposed operation Based on the needs in the affected areas, the Georgia Red Cross Society, supported by the International Federation and partner National Societies, aims to provide tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags, kitchen sets and hygiene kits to the 250 most affected households amounting to 1,125 people. The operation will be implemented over three months. 500 tarpaulins were distributed to 250 families from the National Society own stocks, therefore within the DREF the replenishments of these items will be needed in order to ensure that sufficient items are stored for contingency stocks. The Georgia Red Cross Society, in its auxiliary role, is